Finally took the XT off road

[XTC]

Claire on her borrowed XT250 on the recent Mmmm adventure ride. The bike did the whole 700+ km ride with no problems and kept the pace with the rest of us on bigger machines. Impressive little bike even on the open bits.

[Wolf]

As for the name it is Yamaha that's calling them XT250 http://www.yamaha-motor.co.nz/motor/...4&modelcatid=3

Land Transport NZ just registers them as what the importer says. Ours is called XT250V being a later model than the R I guess.

And you go to Yamaha-motor.com to locate parts and it's an XT225, no listing for XT250 - nothing like a bit of consistency, eh?

Nothing at all...

[Wolf]

The bike did the whole 700+ km ride with no problems and kept the pace with the rest of us on bigger machines.

Often heard that on the XT225 forum. Some riders have noted they can go places where larger and heavier machines can't go (that being said, a decent off-road rider could have taken my old RX125 commuter bike places where a BMW F650GS Dakar can't go...)

It does 100km/h with no problem, it can (anecdotally) go faster than that for long periods of time, it's agile and light - suits me fine.

I'm looking forward to "getting in the zone" with that bike, getting to know it well enough that I no longer have to think about anything except where I'm going and what hazards I have to negotiate to get there - then all the stops will be off. At the mo' I'm still having to think about some aspects of riding the bike - not even 200km on it since I got it, I can't expect miracles but I do note it seems to have a shallower "learning curve" than other bikes I've had, more intuitive, feels more "right" to me. I'm adapting to it faster than I adapted to the LS400 and already the bike is capable of more than the LS was - manoeuvring-wise. Doesn't stop quite as well as the LS, though, I'll have to take the rear wheel off and have a look at the brakes as it seems to be lacking in that area (front disc brake is fine).

Did Claire find the seat comfortable enough on the 700+ km ride? Some have commented that the seat is "uncomfortable" over a decent distance.

[merv]

You mention brakes, I find with Mrs merv's it has the most gutless brakes of any of our dirt bikes but I guess its still adequate. The front disc just doesn't bite like the others. The WR has the most powerful brakes with pretty vicious engine braking as well - it can skid the back wheel on seal just by backing off the throttle in low gears, the Honda XR250 is next best and then the DR650 with the XT a distant last, plus its the only one with a drum rear which is OK except that means not so good wet.

[Wolf]

You mention brakes, I find with Mrs merv's it has the most gutless brakes of any of our dirt bikes but I guess its still adequate. The front disc just doesn't bite like the others. The WR has the most powerful brakes with pretty vicious engine braking as well - it can skid the back wheel on seal just by backing off the throttle in low gears, the Honda XR250 is next best and then the DR650 with the XT a distant last, plus its the only one with a drum rear which is OK except that means not so good wet.

The engine seems to slow it down quite well - though not as dramatically as you describe, I've never skidded the wheel by throttling off. The front disc stops me quite well but I don't seem to get a lot of action out of the rear drum - it scarcely seems to be slowing it if I apply it alone, let alone causing it to skid the rear wheel.

The LS400 had single disc at the front and drum at the rear and yet it stopped quite abruptly when it had to. I don't think the XT as it is at the moment would quite have that stopping ability (maybe never will have with its narrow tyres compared with the LS) and I think it could be improved.

[SDU]

The rear drums can always be upgraded to disks. The jap market Serows get disks as standard.

Good on Claire that ride would have tested her Butt out, even with lots off standing. (XTC you get her to join the fray off Kiwi biker-or is she here already?)
I find my Serow seat on the open rd is uncomfy, thats partly why I got the DR before going to the Brass Monkey, but then again the DR seat is a brick too.

So when are we gonna get some pics of your bike Wolf, especially ones after you or SJ have got it dirty!

[Wolf]

OK, Sal

Just to keep you off my back on this forum as well as the other one

[Wolf]

The rear drums can always be upgraded to disks. The jap market Serows get disks as standard.

AFAIK, if I upgrade the brakes I'm up for the cost of a compliance test on top of whatever the upgrade cost.

[far queue]

It's very clean isn't it Those tyres will be "interesting" in the mud and even wet grass

Once you you get something a bit chunkier on you'll have a ball with it

[Wolf]

Those tyres will be "interesting" in the mud and even wet grass

Read my first post in the thread about how "interesting" they were.

[SDU]

Yay finally, very tidy looking, looks like you got a good bike. No wonder you had fun on the dirt get some knobbies! Its too clean you have to get it dirty!

NB/ If you do get it dirty watch out if you use a water blaster, the stickers (apart from the tank ones.) will wash off.

As for the brakes if you upgrade to a disc & its wof, who'll know. I didn't think you'd need to get them compliance tested.

Hope you & SJ have some awesome fun on it.

[Motu]

Bah - for an extra 2cc you can get the DT230....and have double the HP,disc on the rear,fully adjustable suspension....and a 165kph top end.

[Wolf]

Bah - for an extra 2cc you can get the DT230....and have double the HP,disc on the rear,fully adjustable suspension....and a 165kph top end.

There were no DT230s to be seen when I was bike hunting - not even available for a test ride, so I don't even know if one would be suitable for strayj.

[Wolf]

Yay finally, very tidy looking, looks like you got a good bike. No wonder you had fun on the dirt get some knobbies! Its too clean you have to get it dirty!

Dirty's not the problem. My main fear is getting it broken - it's my only transport (except the cage which my wife needs to transport the tribe) and I cannot afford to repair damage.

When I was younger and really didn't give a rat's arse about much I was quite happy to (and allowed my mates to) thrash the crap out of the old TS125. If it got damaged it wasn't a big issue. It was an old rat bike and cost me bugger all - I think I got my money's worth out of it within the first 6 months, anything beyond that was a bonus.

The XT, however is only three years old, cost a pretty penny to buy and get road legal and I rely on it to go places and that makes me somewhat circumspect in my handling of it. Especially while I'm still paying for it.

Taking things carefully, getting to know what it is capable of and what I am capable of - gently.

NB/ If you do get it dirty watch out if you use a water blaster, the stickers (apart from the tank ones.) will wash off.

I've already peeled the stickers off the air scoops and have plans to paint the plastics and the tank anyway. The pics don't show the dents and rust on the tank clearly. I've got to at least get rid of the rust and spritz some primer over it. I'm of two minds whether I should get my brother to fill the dents prior to painting or whether I should just clean it, prime it and paint it dents and all.

As for the brakes if you upgrade to a disc & its wof, who'll know.

I'd think that the caliper assembly and brake cylinders being affixed to the swing arm with duct tape might be a bit of a give-away...

That and the No 8 wire and baling twine.

[Ruralman]

Yeah great bikes and you will find it more and more fun as you get experienced with it. Here's Mrs merv on her 2006 - they call them XT250's now but they are still the 225. She doesn't do hard out dirt on hers but does dirt roads as you can see in the pic. Anyone recognise where?

OK Merv seeing as no-one else is having a go at guessing where this photo was taken - on the Molesworth Station Road????